ASTANA – Getting medical advice and treatment from leading South Korean doctors without leaving the capital has become possible in one of Kazakhstan’s best multi-field medical centres. Family Clinic introduced Telemedicine Centre Nov. 9, established with the support of Kosin University Hospital in Busan.
Hark Rim and Kim Hee-young
“Busan occupies a leading position in providing medical services to foreigners. It has the largest medical centres of the country and the world. We are very pleased to be working with Family Clinic in Astana. I hope we will raise healthcare cooperation between our two cities to an ever higher level,” Busan city government Health and Welfare Department General Director Kim Hee Young told The Astana Times.
Family clinic staff
At the launch event, Kim and Astana Health Department head Yerik Baizhunussov signed a medical and health exchange memorandum of cooperation between the cities.
Asset Issekeshev
The newly-opened centre is equipped with all the necessary devices for efficient work. The telemedicine project is the first cooperative step between Busan Hospital and Family Clinic. The sides intend to expand that cooperation and find new areas of collaboration to introduce high technology and quality healthcare services.
Remote analysis and monitoring services are supposed to reduce healthcare service costs, improve patient diagnosis and minimise the time for the doctor’s decision-making that should favour life-saving treatment.
Kosin University Hospital President Hark Rim noted the hospital is one of South Korea’s leading cancer treatment centres. He noted Busan specialists are ready to assist the Family Clinic medical staff.
“Previously, we had problems getting information about patients and sending documents back. Starting now, the Telemedicine Centre will speed up the process of obtaining information about patients,” he said.
The project will allow South Korean professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat Kazakh patients using cutting-edge telecommunication technology. Telemedicine allows delivering care from a distance, enhancing collaboration between patients and foreign doctors, improving treatment results and cutting medical costs.
The event was also attended by city Akim (Mayor) Asset Issekeshev, who noted healthcare is a major focus of the government.
“Many hospitals, clinics and medical centres have been built in the capital. This year, we are completing the construction of the TB dispensary and ambulance station. Life expectancy has reached 75 years in Astana and it is the highest figure in the republic. Every year, the child and maternal mortality rate is declining and TB cases and fatality rates for other diseases have decreased substantially over the past few years,” he said.
Issekeshev congratulated the clinic’s medical staff and its South Korean partners on opening the Telemedicine Centre and wished them prosperity and continued successful work.
The medical facility is already cooperating with German healthcare organisations. Its young and promising doctors regularly visit foreign countries to undergo training and hone their skills.
“Our multi-field Family Clinic was founded two years ago. Our specialists have the opportunity to attend advanced training courses in Busan. We still have many promising areas for cooperation. At the moment, we are planning to construct a surgical hospital in Astana and conduct surgeries with Korean counterparts. We are the first clinic in the city to introduce the Telemedicine Centre and we are willing to work with other medical organisations in Astana,” said Family Clinic chief physician Maya Kashkimbayeva.
The healthcare provider employs approximately 100 clinical staff, including M.D.s, qualified first and second category doctors and recognised medical professors. Family Clinic physicians have undergone internships abroad and apply the latest treatment methods aimed at preserving and maintaining the health of the patient.
The facility has succeeded in creating a trustworthy atmosphere – even people scared of seeing a doctor feel comfortable at its entrance. Family Clinic shares a philosophy of minimising stress and maximising comfort for adults and children and offers a broad range of high-quality services at reasonable prices.
“Over the next three months, the cost of online consultation with South Korean professors will be 7,000 tenge (US$20.28). We want our patients to have the opportunity to get advice from foreign specialists at a fair price,” said Family Clinic Development Director Olga Chernyavskaya.
